Behind the Scenes of Chaos
I was completely lost. My mind was in a total daze.
Suddenly I was wanted as the prime suspect in Park Wonchang's murder. Hyeon-do was dragging his feet, insisting I chase the Butterfly.
“Hey, what the hell are you doing, you crazy bastard!”
He had been that kind of inventive, cheeky guy from the very start.
Hyeon-do finally calmed down only after I pulled him out of the shack with nothing but a towel around his lower half.
Why was there no normalcy around me anymore?
“The Butterfly is waiting outside for me.”
“Your skill isn't going to run away, is it? Calm down, finish washing up, and come out. The Butterfly isn't the problem right now.”
Hyeon-do didn't know about the news.
“Why? Is there something else?”
“Tes-hyung killed Park Wonchang and he's on the run. Haa, how does any of this make sense?”
“What are you talking about? A guy you were with just moments ago?”
“I don't know either. Hurry and shower, then get out.”
I sat on the bed and sorted through my thoughts.
Tes-hyung couldn't have killed Park Wonchang.
Then why did he run?
What was Tes-hyung trying to do?
If it was his goal...
“Bae Hyeongsin?”
It had to be that one thing.
“Did Park Wonchang really have ties to Bae Hyeongsin?”
Then had Bae Hyeongsin killed Park Wonchang?
Or maybe something closely connected to him did?
“Haa... Did I do something pointless?”
I should have just let Park Wonchang run, right? I shouldn't have rushed in and handed him over to the police, dragging Tes-hyung into this too.
But if the guy ran, he might have done harm to society.
“Ah, I don't know.”
My head hurt.
* * *
The place Navi led Hyeon-do to was the direction of the gate exit. But even on the way, I figured I should handle business while I was already in Oryukdo.
— Caw.
Kalid was coughing again, and the entire gate trembled.
“Why is Kalid acting like that?”
“Yeah, right.”
First, I settled the mana stone deposits. I'd send only ten skeletons for honey gathering. Non-stop Kalid honey.
【Breath of Steel】
Right now, President Kim Cheolgeun was all in on my artifact production.
Ding—
“Hello, sir. How's it going?”
“Oh, Doosik. I was actually about to call you. Did you see the news? Oryukdo's buzzing with stories about Tes-hyung right now.”
That made sense.
Oryukdo Gate itself was the one Tes-hyung handled. Among the hunters coming and going, no one there didn't know his name.
“Yeah. I don't know what the hell is going on either. No word at all. I'm worried. Summon.”
I immediately re-summoned the part-time skeleton soldiers. The skilled ones rushed straight into the workshop the moment they appeared, and the sounds of clicking and clacking started.
“Heh heh, these guys don't need to talk anymore—they get the job done. Even if I hadn't been agonizing day and night about what to name them, how do you like it? Can I name them now?”
“Really?!”
I was over the moon.
The total number of skeleton soldiers was fifty-five.
Named skeleton soldiers were already expanding, right?
Three part-time skeleton soldiers were all excited eyes.
“First... this guy mainly handles hammering. He's strong. And your skeleton soldiers have the trait ‘Food’?”
“No problem. We have Hodu too.”
“Still, you should probably keep the ‘Food’ trait safe. Hammers require good strength, after all. So this guy's name is Geunsik.”
【The Skeleton Star acknowledges the name ‘Geunsik’.】
【No. 4 evolves into a named skeleton with the name .】
【Geunsik's luck stat is distributed as strength.】
“Oh!”
“Why? Does it have an effect?”
“Of course!”
I was maxing out my luck stat.
So it was way higher than strength.
Geunsik, who had been cheering, suddenly couldn't hold back the rising power and picked up a steel anvil, starting squats.
“And this guy handles odd jobs. Anything you bring, he grabs it right away. So he needs agility—Min Sik.”
【The Skeleton Star acknowledges the name ‘Minsik’.】
【No. 5 evolves into a named skeleton with the name .】
【Minsik's luck stat is distributed as agility.】
“Ooooh!!”
Minsik couldn't contain the boiling agility and bolted out of the workshop.
“Next, this one?”
Cheolsik's expectant gaze.
“This guy handles steel. He needs to hold up well, so Cheolsik.”
【The Skeleton Star acknowledges the name ‘Cheolsik’.】
【No. 6 evolves into a named skeleton with the name .】
【Cheolsik's luck stat is distributed as endurance.】
“Oh?”
Clank— clank clank—
But suddenly Cheolsik's bones themselves evolved. They began turning into steel.
“Wow.”
“Heh heh, even I have to admit that's pretty cool.”
Thud—
Cheolsik, whose whole body had turned to steel, slammed his chest. He looked like a Terminators melted in lava.
Geunsik, who had been squatting with the anvil, and Minsik, who had come back after bolting out, both gasped in admiration.
“A tank... a real tank! Sir, thank you!”
“Hahaha, when my part-timers work well, it makes me look good.”
“Don't you need more part-timers?”
“Heh heh, the shop's not that big.”
That was a bit disappointing.
The building was rundown...
It would be nice to expand.
“Sir, are the mana stones enough?”
“There's still some left. Enough even after making the artifact. I'll keep the raw materials for you. I have a VIP ledger too. Hahaha.”
“How much artifact is left?”
I tried to peek over Kim Cheolgeun's shoulder, but he refused to show. And his workshop even had a black curtain drawn.
If I saw the unfinished artifact early, he explained, steam might leak from the furnace.
It was unfortunate, but there was nothing I could do.
I had no choice but to trust he'd make them well.
“It's been five days... No, since the skeleton soldiers have evolved, the deadline might shorten a bit.”
“Sir. Then I'll come at that time.”
“Wait a second. Where do you think you're going right now? Could it have something to do with Tes-hyung?”
I glanced at Hyeon-do.
We were chasing the Butterfly, not looking for Tes-hyung.
But there was a strange feeling, wasn't there?
If I chased the Butterfly, I'd find Tes-hyung. The timing had been right.
“I don't know.”
“I know you two are close, but try not to get involved this time. This feels off.”
“Thank you for worrying.”
Sir placed a hand on my shoulder.
“Doosik, you know I'm one of the people who prays for your safety the most, right? Thanks to you, my income has been great. When I finish this production, I'm going to visit America. Hahaha, I even put the overseas trip application in already. All because of you.”
“America? That's great!”
“I'm already excited. Heh heh, I'll go with a surprise for the kids. They're always thinking about that day while they work. Since you're making the artifact for my son to wear, keep your expectations high.”
I bowed to him and left. I chased Hyeon-do's invisible Butterfly. Hyeon-do had said chasing the Butterfly was the only right path.
I climbed into the Bentley I hadn't driven in a while.
Vroom.
A deep engine roar.
This is the reason I drive a Bentley.
Money was good.
“But Tes-hyung... no contact. Hmm, I hope he's okay?”
The arrest warrant would have been issued.
Prime suspect in a murder case, after all.
But that wasn't the kind of person...
I bet the others knew that too.
♬
A call came to Hyeon-do.
Speakerphone.
— We're departing.
“Let's go.”
— Bruuuuuum—
A heavy trailer rumbled, and Hyeon-do followed his own navigation. The Bentley behind him, unable to match speed, grew frustrated, but there was nothing we could do.
But Busan was familiar now.
Even leaving Busan felt familiar.
?
Wait.
“What is this?”
— Yeah, right. Navi is guiding.
“This isn't toward the Upo Wetland?”
It was the road I had traveled many times before.
“Navi isn't sending us to catch leeches, is it?”
— Um... if Navi sent us, even if it's leeches, there must be a reason.
You blind believer in the Butterfly.
“Don't drive while sleepy. Stay alert.”
— Yes.
The sound of Hyeon-do chewing gum to stay awake came through the speakerphone over and over.
We headed toward the Upo Wetland,
the Bentley trailing the trailer.
“Eh?”
A twist.
We had passed the Upo Wetland.
“Hyeon-do, wait a second.”
I hurriedly opened the container truck, sat on the throne, and summoned.
One—
Total 55, excluding 16, excluding contents 10 honey, 3 blacksmiths, 3 filial piety, 1 Hansik, current 39.
The horde of skeleton soldiers saluted me neatly. The one thing skeleton soldiers did best was fill my pride.
My shoulders felt stronger.
“Changsik will lead the charge into the Upo Wetland. No re-summoning, so capture it without dying as much as possible. Teach the new recruits properly.”
One—
They saluted me again and charged toward the Upo Wetland.
— Wow....
“I have no idea when we'll get to the Upo Wetland.”
Auto-hunt.
— We're departing again.
“Wait, Hansik. You drive the Bentley and follow.”
Hooray!
Hansik loved it.
After all, it was a Bentley...
Unfortunately, I stayed on the throne,
“Depart.”
— Bruuuuum—
— It looks like we're heading to the cave where we separated from Tes-hyung.
“Navi, Navi...”
My guess was right.
Kikik. Puff...
— Navi stopped.
Park Wonchang's five-ton truck was still there.
Tes-hyung hadn't submitted any evidence.
Hyeon-do and I got out.
“Whoa, my telepathy worked? Have I gained superpowers?”
A voice came from beneath the darkness.
“Tes-hyung!”
We ran to him.
“What happened?! The whole city is in chaos—his face is even on the news!”
“I know. Criminals don't even show their faces, but how did you even get here? Is my telepathy really working?”
“Hyeon-do said to come here.”
“Tes-hyung, hello. I'm glad you're safe. I've been worried.”
“Yeah.”
This time Tes-hyung returned the greeting. I immediately summoned the Oculus' eyes and scanned the surroundings. The skeletons had just entered the Upo Wetland gate.
No other special signs.
“How's Navi? Did she come properly?”
“Yes. She's on my shoulder right now.”
Tes-hyung tilted his head at our conversation.
“Navi? What do you mean?”
“More than that—aren't you the one who's being chased right now?”
“Yeah, the arrest warrant's probably out. But I had nowhere to go. Haa, did I live my life wrong?”
Yet in this situation, the fact that Tes-hyung had waited here secretly felt good.
Not to mention that someone trusted me.
“Hyung, what are you going to do from here?”
“I'll take him myself.”
“Who?”
“Bae Hyeongsin. This time it's real. The thing that killed Park Wonchang—it's something like the Dark Energy he controls. And Park Wonchang confessed to me directly.”
“What? Tell me in more detail.”
We listened to Tes-hyung's story.
About meeting Park Wonchang, the sermon he gave him, and the shocking ending.
“Park Wonchang's mana was sealed, and then his skill activated?”
“It wasn't a skill. Park Wonchang begged some god at the end to spare him. But to an awakener like us, what is a god?”
“A constellation?”
“Exactly. After Park Wonchang spilled everything about Bae Hyeongsin to me, he immediately panicked. I think their behind-the-scenes figures are the same. And that behind-the-scenes figure becomes the bridge connecting Bae Hyeongsin and Park Wonchang.”
“The same behind-the-scenes figure...”
One constellation doesn't mark just one person.
For example, the common Guardian and Iron Wall, called the Tank Pair Constellation.
“So the constellation killed Park Wonchang?”
That gave me goosebumps.
Constellations interfere in reality through awakener intermediaries. There was no record anywhere of them exercising external power without going through awakener.
“I don't believe it, but that's what I think. The constellation executed the lackey Park Wonchang who betrayed his apostle Bae Hyeongsin.”
“The scale suddenly got too big. There are probably more awakeners with constellations as behind-the-scenes.”
“There might be even in the world. So... could you two help me a bit?”
Tes-hyung sheepishly scratched the back of his head.
The manly image was gone.
“Help me. Please. I can't do it alone.”
Even his ears turned red as he made the request.
“Hyung, you know there are no free things in this world, right?”
“Damn it...”
“Add one more wish. Then two.”
“Okay, man.”
“Me too, Tes-hyung. I also... wish...”
“Haa, seriously, how did you two meet the same kind of guy?”
I hadn't thought they were similar.
Hyeon-do smiled.
“Then what do we start with?”
“First, our clues are INCU9283121 and Park Wonchang's phone. I pulled it out of the swamp, but it's completely destroyed. Restoring the messages is doubtful.”
Tes-hyung shook the ruined phone soaked in zip-lock water.
“I'll take care of it.”
“You know how to do that?”
“I can't do it. But...”
I had something I believed in.
“Skeleton soldiers can't do anything wrong.”
“Hmm, really? But we can't stay here. First, we need to move to a safe place.”
This time Hyeon-do stepped up.
“Come to our house.”
“Really? I feel like I'm being too much of a nuisance.”
“Our house is big. My dad was a hunter too.”
“Whoa, you were a silver spoon?”
Pretending to be poor...
Somehow it felt good.
“He passed away.”
Ah.
“Sorry...”
“It's okay...”
We stayed silent for a while.
“Shall we go?”
...
On the way to Hyeon-do's house, we slowly chewed on the memories of the people we had lost.
[Gongju-si, Chungcheongnam-do]
That's how we arrived at Hyeon-do's house.
Kikik... Thud thud...
I was overwhelmed at the front gate of Hyeon-do's house.